New UN sanctions draft aims to mount pressure on Iran

UNITED NATIONS, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany announced Tuesday their agreement on a draft resolution proposing new sanctions against Iran in a surprise move that comes a day after Iran agreed to a deal aimed at soothing UN concerns.

The 10-page draft, which has been circulated to the full 15-member body, came only one day after the signing of a nuclear fuel swap deal reached by Iran, Brazil and Turkey. The U.S. and other Western officials regard that deal as "delaying tactics" played by Iran to avoid sanctions.

Analysts say that, by publicizing support for sanctions at this juncture, the major powers were trying to mount fresh pressure upon the Islamic Republic in a move to persuade it to take concrete measures to rebuild international trust for its nuclear program.

Since December 2006, the UN Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions on Iran. The new draft, which has been the subject of intensive consultations since early April, builds on existing sanctions, and expands the breadth and reach of UN sanctions on Iran by creating new categories of sanctions.

But, in spite of tougher measures, the resolution resembles its previous counterparts in the sense that it continues to adhere to the dual-track strategy, a combination of diplomacy and sanctions designed to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue.